CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1856

Chapter 307, Laws of 2019

66TH LEGISLATURE

2019 REGULAR SESSION

SCLERAL TATTOOING

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 28, 2019

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1856

ByHouse Health Care & Wellness (originally sponsored by Representatives Tharinger, Caldier, Cody, Kloba, Wylie, Corry, Sutherland, Ybarra, Steele, Peterson, Klippert, DeBolt, Stanford, Doglio, Mead, Ryu, and Macri)

AN ACT Relating to prohibiting scleral tattooing; amending RCW 18.300.100; adding a new section to chapter 70.54 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 70.54 RCW to read as follows:

(1) A person may not perform or offer to perform scleral tattooing on another person.

(2) A person who violates this section is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed ten thousand dollars for each violation, as determined by the court.

(3)(a) The attorney general may receive, investigate, and prosecute complaints against alleged violators of this section.

(b) The attorney general may institute and conduct an action in the name of the state of Washington for any of the following:

(i) An injunction in any court of this state for injunctive relief to restrain a person from continuing any activity that violates this section.

(ii) The assessment and recovery of civil penalties provided in subsection (2) of this section.

(4) The attorney general must be reimbursed through civil penalties collected under this section for the costs incurred in providing the services described in subsection (3) of this section. Any remaining funds must be deposited in the state general fund.

(5) For the purposes of this section, "scleral tattooing" means the practice of producing an indelible mark or figure on the human eye by scarring or inserting a pigment on, in, or under: (a) The fornix conjunctiva; (b) the bulbar conjunctiva; (c) the ocular conjunctiva; or (d) another ocular surface; using needles, scalpels, or other related equipment.

Sec. 2. RCW 18.300.100 and 2009 c 412 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:

In addition to the unprofessional conduct described in RCW 18.235.130, the director may take disciplinary action against any applicant or licensee under this chapter if the licensee or applicant:

(1) Has been found to have violated any provisions of chapter 19.86 RCW;

(2) Has engaged in a practice prohibited under RCW 18.300.030 without first obtaining, and maintaining in good standing, the license required by this chapter;

(3) Has failed to display licenses required in this chapter; ((or))

(4) Has violated any provision of this chapter or any rule adopted under it; or

(5) Has been found to have violated section 1 of this act.

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